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March 14, 2024 "Peace on earth!" was declared by angels at the announcement of His birth. "Peace in heaven!" was declared by people at the announcement of His entry. Jesus Christ is the rightful King of Peace on earth and in heaven. As the people temporarily sang His praise, Christ wept knowing what was in their hearts as well as the future destruction of Jerusalem. Despite the rejection, our King made the way of redemption, securing our peace with God forever. Jesus, our King of Peace has come and is coming again! Luke 19:28-44
March 17, 2024 Acts 19 is the story of God working in incredible ways in the city of Ephesus. Acts 19:11-20 is one of the wildest stories though in the Bible, dudes are just trying to make a buck doing some tricks and yet the Lord has “concern for his holy name” as the prophet Ezekiel would say. So God exalts himself by not allowing these exorcists to misuse his name rather they run out “naked and wounded.” God will always exalt his name above sin and evil. He will always have the last word when it comes to people trying to use the name of Jesus for selfish reasons when their hearts are not submissive to the Lord. God will always be exalted, even in the most bizarre of ways. Acts 19:11-20
March 10, 2024 Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Adventist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Episcopal, and Non-Denominational churches (just to name a few) are all around; each having its doctrinal and practical distinctives. Some even add cult groups such as Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness to the list of Christian denominations. How are we to know and test what is genuine Christianity and what is not? When Paul entered Ephesus he encountered a group of people who had a form of religion that was not genuinely Christian. The group was sincere in their beliefs and practices, but despite their sincere adherence (even to the teachings of John the Baptist), they had not received and embraced that which makes us completely Christian, the Holy Spirit who dwells only in those who trust in Jesus who is both Savior and Lord. Acts 19:1-10
March 3, 2024 The 2nd mission trip finished out, with Paul leaving Silas and Timithy to lead the church in Corinth, and leaving Aquila and Priscilla to start a church in Ephesus, while Paul set sail to return for a respite at his home church in Antioch. Paul didn’t stay long, and soon after began the 3rd mission trip, heading west back to Ephesus, encouraging the churches along the way. Meanwhile, back in Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla stepped into the life of Apollos, a well-educated, articulate, powerful preacher. They filled a gap in Apollos’ theology and understanding of salvation, which Apollos humbly accepted, and turned him loose to preach the Gospel. These stories are a great reminder to us: ministry requires a team effort; healthy ministry requires healthy ministers; humble preachers will always be willing to listen to correction; and we are all called to step into others’ lives where needed, especially where the accuracy of the Gospel is concerned. Acts 18:18-28
February 25, 2024 Paul’s ministry continues to Corinth where new ministry partners are found along with new believers and continued opposition to the Name of Christ. At the heart of Acts 18:1-17 is a vision Paul received from Jesus to not fear or be silent but to continue proclaiming the gospel trusting in God’s protection. God’s people are entrusted with the same message and called to the same work. We must not be silent because there are many around us God is calling to Himself. Acts 18:1-17
February 18, 2024 Paul’s speech on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece is one of the most important sections in the book of Acts. With only Gentiles in his audience, Paul models presenting the good news of Jesus using words and images that would relate to his hearers. While the delivery method is different, the message is the same. All people everywhere are accountable to God to receive or reject Christ as the One who died and rose again to make us righteous before God. Acts 17:16-34
February 11, 2024 Having rushed out of Thessalonica due to persecution, Paul and his companions travel to Berea in Macedonia. Here, they start, as was their custom, by preaching in the local synagogue. Instead of jealousy, as they ran into in Thessalonica, the Bereans were much more noble and examined the Scriptures that Paul taught. This sets an example for us to examine God’s Word, test the teachings we hear with it, and allow God’s Word to examine us! Acts 17:10-15
February 4, 2024 The center point of this week’s passage is to establish the truth of the Christian faith based upon the evidence Paul and Luke provided the Thessalonians and the future readers of the book of Acts. The Christian faith is built upon the fulfilled promises and prophecies found in the Old Testament by Jesus and only Jesus. The Savior had to suffer for our sins and rise from the dead. Knowing the evidence will help all of us stand firm in the faith, especially during seasons of suffering, doubting, and temptation. Acts 17:1-9
January 28, 2024 Paul and Silas continued to preach the Gospel in Philippi. While preaching in the streets, Paul exorcised a fortune-telling demon from a slave girl. The slave girl’s owners dragged Paul and Silas before the City Magistrates, who had them beaten with rods and thrown in jail. That night, God caused an earthquake, which opened the jail doors, and freed all the prisoners. The jailer was about to kill himself, thinking the prisoners had escaped, but Paul stopped him. Paul and Silas shared the Gospel message, and the jailer and his entire family listened, believed in Jesus, were saved, and were baptized. Paul rebuked the Magistrates for beating him and Silas (who were Roman citizens) without a trial, a serious violation of Roman law. Paul and Silas gathered the new Christians in Philippi, prayed and encouraged them, and then departed to preach the Gospel elsewhere. Acts 16:6-40
January 7, 2024 Redirection is all part of living a life of faith. Living by faith by definition is a life trusting in God’s guidance. God is the One who directs and redirects His people by His Spirit. This creates a challenge for us when we seem to be certain of His plan for us and then that plan changes. This week’s passage, Acts 16:6-10, sheds light on the leading of God’s Spirit and what is required of us to follow His lead.
Januray 21, 2024 Acts 16:11-15 shares the account of the first believer in modern-day Europe, Lydia. Ironically, Lydia came from the very place that God prevented Paul from going in his previous travels. Having left Asia, she moved to Philippi in Macedonia as a seller of purple cloths. A devout, God-fearing woman, Lydia heard the good news about Jesus from the apostle Paul while praying with other women. We are told that God was the One who opened her heart to hear and believe. He continues to open hearts today as His people open their lives and mouths to share Christ. May He do His work through us!
January 7, 2024 Spurgeon wrote, “I tremble for a church whose continuance depends upon the talent and cleverness of one man. If he is removed, the whole thing will collapse; this is a wretched business.” TBC cannot and will not be about one man. For our church to last and have a lasting impact beyond this generation, we must raise, equip, and make disciples of Jesus as we aim to grow in spiritual maturity. Acts 16:1-5
December 24, 2023 Of all the ways God could announce the advent of His Son, God chose people. People! The ones who rejected and despised Him. The ones who were destined for His judgment and wrath. The ones who would eventually crucify the Son He sent. He chose people. He actually chose shepherds; those of humble standing and the last to be thought of as royal heralds. After the resurrection and ascension of Christ, God continues to send the humble to herald the advent of Christ our Savior and Lord. What a mystery that Christ would announce His coming through those He would give His life to save. Luke 2:1-21
December 31, 2023 Our God is faithful! He is truly faithful for that is His nature. Our God can only be faithful and true. All we must do is to give prayerful pause, consider all His provisions in our lives and in our church. What do you find? God’s faithfulness remaining. In fact, His faithfulness is undefeated. May pause and reflection stir you to walk faithfully with the Lord. Psalm 86:1-17
December 17, 2023 The next major event we anticipate in God’s plan is Christ’s return! This wondrous mystery has been a subject of hope, debate, confusion, and excitement since the angels promised the disciples Christ would return just as He ascended. This week we will explore what we believe will happen when Christ again appears and those who are in Christ (dead or alive) meet Him in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
December 10, 2023 Our Advent series is entitled “The Wondrous Mystery”. Two weeks ago, we focused on the mystery of Jesus Christ’s humility, how he stepped down into our condition as man in order to redeem his people. Last week, we moved to Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus’ purpose of coming to live among us and what his death accomplished for us. And this week, we concentrate on the revealed mystery of Jesus’ resurrection. Various Scriptures
December 3, 2023 Paul said in his letter to the church of Corinth, “I wished to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” For Paul and every believer in Jesus, the crucifixion is the apex moment that has completely altered the trajectory of the world. The cross is both offensive and beautiful at once. The cross offends mankind because it tells us that we are not good enough, and even worse, that we are broken to the core—sinners. The cross shows just how much the Triune God hates sin. Yet, the cross is also beautiful, namely because of who is on it: Jesus Christ. The cross is beautiful because it means we, the broken sinners, have a means of being made right with God, no longer having His wrath aimed at us, but now experiencing the riches of His grace and love. The cross is beautiful because now we have life; we are made righteous and have a means to live a righteous life. This Christmas, take a moment to thank God for the cross. Thank Jesus for being willing to lay down His life, even for sinners like you and me. John 18:33-19:11
November 19, 2023 In Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Barnabas are separated because of a sharp disagreement. This passage of Scripture shows us that even mature Christians will often disagree on judgment calls, and sometimes need to separate or split up if the issue is serious enough. Separation among Christians should be done charitably. This passage encourages us to give sincere, immature Christians a second chance to mature. Acts 15:36-41
November 26, 2023 God humbled Himself by coming in human likeness, taking on flesh, and living among those He created. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a true mystery. How can God put such limitations on Himself for a humanity that had rejected Him? We peer into the wondrous mystery of our Savior’s humility to step down into our condition to redeem a people for His very own. Philippians 2:1-11
November 12, 2023 Acts 15 contains two scenarios of sharp disagreement between believers. The first (Acts 15:1-35) is a matter of right and wrong. The second (Acts 15:36-41) is a matter of preference. Both scenarios highlight the reality that every group of believers will have areas of disagreement. This week’s focus is on the right view of salvation for all people that lies at the root of our Christian faith. Acts 15:1-35
November 5, 2023 The final legs of Paul’s first missionary journey demonstrate key practices that are to continue in and through us who are sent for the Name of Jesus Christ. These practices flow from a central truth that our living God gives witness to Himself through all of creation, especially His chosen people. In light of this, we must continue in the same personal and public practices as those who have witnessed before us. Acts 14:8-28
October 29, 2023 In our fourth Family Worship series of 2023, we are focusing on “Love Endures All Things”. This is the ultimate trait of God’s love for us that we are to reflect, especially within families and in the church. We will look at three aspects of God’s enduring love from Psalm 136 as well as be encouraged and challenged by TBC ministry partners, Pastor Morris Ogenga and his wife, Ida. Psalm 136
October 22, 2023 Paul and Barnabas encountered a divided response to the gospel message they proclaimed in Iconium. When they first met resistance, they remained for a long time, steadfastly preaching the gospel with boldness. What they experienced was God’s empowerment through their faithfulness. God will empower us, and He himself will bear witness through us, especially when we encounter resistance as well. Acts 14:1-7
October 15, 2023 Acts 13:13-52 contains Paul’s first sermon delivered in a Jewish synagogue. Drawing from the OT Law and Prophets, Paul focused on the most important proof of the truth of our faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are raised to eternal life because Christ our Savior was raised first. The Shout of Easter isn’t just for April, my friends! Acts 13:13-52
October 8, 2023 We come to a point in Acts where the narrative shifts from being about a group of people whom God used in extraordinary ways to advance the Kingdom of God, to one person whom God used in extraordinary ways to advance the Kingdom of God. Yet in all of the extraordinary stories we see the apostle Paul in they all can trace their beginning to one ordinary moment, Paul praying and fasting with other believers. Paul and Barnabas were just simply being faithful in their ordinary day lives to only be used in extraordinary ways by the Lord. For us we have a natural ebb and flow to our lives, what I call the ordinary days, and yet we never know within those ordinary days that God will use us to do something extraordinary, but for us to be ready for those extraordinary days we have to be faithful in the ordinary days. Praying, reading God’s word, meditating on his word, and pursuing unity among our body for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. For us to experience God using us in extraordinary ways we have to practice being faithful to him in our ordinary days. Acts 13:1-12
October 1, 2023 Do you fear the rising tide of culture’s obsession with self-glorification? There is an ever-growing disdain for the things of God around us. It is becoming increasingly unpopular to hold a Christian worldview. What is the truth we need most to help us stand firm? Paradoxically, we stand firm when we rest and rely on God’s sovereign authority and control. Acts 12
September 24, 2023 Acts 11:19-30 provides examples of the first-called Christians who lived with steadfast purpose. Their example reveals the truth that God always builds His kingdom through the faithful witness of His people. It falls to us, in this generation, to live with steadfast purpose. To do this, we must understand what our purpose is and know what will aid us in remaining steadfast even in the midst of hardships that affect us all. Acts 11:19-30
Acts 11:1-18 Under the Old Covenant, God’s people were spiritually and physically distinct from others because of the regulations of the Law and especially the sign of circumcision. But God changed everything through Christ’s death and resurrection. A New Covenant was made, the old distinctions were removed, and a new sign was given: the Holy Spirit. To see as God sees in the Church today, we must maintain the unity of the Spirit and sound, essential doctrine without allowing preferences to cause division within the local church and like-minded churches. Acts 11:1-18
Acts 10:34-48 Last week, we saw that “sent believers" are to see the Lost as God sees them (harassed and helpless) and not allow distinctions to keep us from opening our mouths and lives. This week, our attention shifts to God’s intervening works that bring salvation through His people to the lost by the Holy Spirit. We are commanded to go and proclaim Jesus, and Acts 10:34-48 will challenge us to trust more in God’s redeeming work than our hesitations to speak. Acts 10:34-48
Acts 10:1-33 Today, it is a common truth among Christians that God’s plan of salvation is for all people, regardless of distinctions. But, this was not the early Churchs understanding, especially in how Gentiles were viewed. These first Christians viewed Gentiles as a people wholly opposed to God and beyond His redemption. It took God’s direct intervention to reveal that His plan of salvation is for everyone, everywhere. The question for us is this: What “distinctions” or personae may be holding us back from seeing the person and his or her need for Jesus and opening our mouths and lives? Acts 10:1-33
